The director is due to start shooting the sequel to his action-comedy starring Robert Downey Jr as Holmes and Jude Law as sidekick Dr Watson in December, and Superherohype.com reports "unconfirmed sources" claim Ritchie is hoping to cast Day-Lewis as the detective's arch-villain.

It had previously been rumoured that Brad Pitt could play Professor Moriarty, but Warner Brothers confirmed in an official statement in September that he was "not joining the cast of Sherlock Holmes".

Moriarty appeared in the first film simply as a shadowy figure in a carriage with a voice that Ritchie denied was Pitt's, but the character is thought to have a much larger role in the second film.

Day-Lewis was last seen in his Oscar-nominated role in Rob Marshall's Nine after winning an Oscar for his intimidating role in Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood.

Other names linked to the role of Moriarty include Sean Penn, Javier Bardem and Gary Oldman.